war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第80部分

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lins　couldn't　hurt　him　or　that　he　was　in　any　other　danger；　so　why　bring　a　remedy　for　grievous　harm　to　the　festivinotties；　even　if　he　was　lucky　enough　to　possess　one？
There　were　only　five　hunters　who'd　e　there　with　a　deadly　serious　purpose；　prepared　to　cross　swords　with　formidable　foes：　Greyanna　and　her　retainers。　They　were　far　more　likely　to　carry　healing　magic　than　any　other　drow　whom　Ryld　might　opt　to　waylay。
Alas；　they　were　likely　to　prove　more　trouble　as　well；　but　if　he　wanted　to　save　Pharaun；　he'd　just　have　to　cope。　Pharaun　was　a　useful　ally；　and　Ryld　was　unwilling　to　let　that　carefully　nurtured　relationship　expire　easily。　He　skulked　on；　ignoring　the　hunters　who　obliviously　crossed　his　path；　until　he　finally　spied　a　familiar　figure　on　a　rooftop　just　ahead　of　him。
Still　masked；　one　of　Greyanna's　twin　warriors　was　stalking　along　that　eminence。　An　arrow　nocked；　he　peered　down　into　the　street　below。
Ryld　threw　himself　down　behind　a　stubby　little　false　minaret　on　his　roof。　He　peered　around　it；　looking　for　the　rest　of　the　would…be　murderers。
He　didn't　see　them。　Maybe　the　band　had　split　up；　the　better　to　look　for　their　quarry。　They'd　have　to；　wouldn't　they；　to　oversee　the　entire　district。
He　ducked　back；　cocked　his　hand　crossbow　and　laid　a　poisoned　dart　in　the　channel。　He　and　Pharaun　had　been　reluctant　to　kill　their　pursuers；　but　with　the　wizard　dying；　Ryld　was　no　longer　overly　concerned　with　a　petty　retainer's　life。
He　leaned　back　around；　his　finger　already　tightening　on　the　trigger…　and　the　space　where　the　archer　had　stood　was　empty。　Ryld　cast　about；　and　after　a　moment　spotted　the　male　atop　a　round；　flat…roofed　little　tower　adnothering　to　the　main　body　of　the　building。
That　posed　two　problems。　One　was　that　the　warrior　was　farther　away　and　ten　feet　higher　up；　at　or　beyond　the　limit　of　the　little　crossbow's　range。　The　other　was　that　the　male　happened　to　be　looking　in　Ryld's　direction。　His　eyes　flew　open　wide　when　he　spotted　his　quarry。
Ryld　shot；　and　his　dart　fell　short　of　the　tower。　A　split　second　later；　the　twin　pulled　back　his　bowstring　and　loosed　his　arrow　in　one　fluid　motion。　The　shaft　looked　like　a　gradually　swelling　dot；　which　meant　it　was　speednoting　straight　at　its　target。
Ryld　dodged　back。　The　arrow　whizzed　past；　and　the　archer　shouted；　〃Here！　I've　got　him　here！〃
The　weapons　master　scowled；　feeling　the　pressure　of　passing　time　even　more　acutely　than　before。　He　didn't　want　to　be　there　when　the　rest　of　the　enemy　arrived；　and　the　only　hope　of　avoiding　it　was　to　dispose　of　his　presnotent　opponent　quickly。　The　longbow　simply　had　his　hand　crossbow　outnotclassed。　He　needed　to　get　in　close。
He　drew　Splitter；　sprang　out　into　the　open；　and　strode　toward　his　foe。　The　archer　sent　one　arrow　after　another　winging　his　way；　and　he　knocked　them　out　of　the　air。　The　defense　was　considerably　more　difficult　advancnoting　across　the　irregular　surface　of　the　roof　than　it　would　have　been　standnoting　still　on　the　ground。
Ryld　began　to　sweat；　and　his　heart　beat　faster；　but　he　was　managing。　There　came　another　shaft；　this　one　aglitter　with　some　form　of　enchantment；　and　he　swatted　it　down。　Rattling；　it　rolled　on　down　the　pitch　of　the　roof。
He　took　another　step；　slapped　aside　another　missile；　then　heard　somenotthing…he　didn't　know　what；　just　an　indefinable　change　in　the　sounds　around　him。　He　remembered　that　some　enchanters　created　magical　weapons　capable　of　more　than　flying　truer　and　hitting　harder。
He　spun　around。　The　sparkling　arrow　had　launched　itself　back　into　the　air　and　circled　around　behind　him。　It　was　streaking　toward　its　target　and　was　only　a　few　feet　from　his　body。
Ryld　wrenched　Splitter　across　in　a　desperate　parry。　The　edge　caught　the　arrow　and　split　it　in　two。　Spinning　through　the　air；　the　piece　with　the　point　hit　his　shoulder；　but；　thanks　to　his　armor；　did　him　no　harm。
He　lurched　back　around　with　barely　enough　time　to　deflect　the　next　shaft；　then　marched　on。　Four　more　paces　brought　him　to　the　end　of　the　roof。
The　gap　between　this　house　and　the　next　was　five　yards　across。　He　took　a　running　start；　made　himself　nearly　weightless；　and　jumped。　The　twin　tried　to　hit　when　he　was　in　the　air；　but　for　a　blessed　change；　his　arrow　flew　wild。　Ryld　thumped　down　atop　the　same　structure　his　opponent　occupied。　It　felt　as　if　it　had　taken　forever　to　get　this　far；　even　though　he　knew　it　had　really　been　less　than　a　minute。
Not　that　he　was　done　running　the　gauntlet。　The　arrows　kept　hurtling　at　him；　including　one　that　gave　an　eerie　scream；　filling　him　with　an　unnotnatural　fear　until　he　quashed　the　feeling；　and　another　that　turned　into　a　miniature　harpy　in　flight。　Yet　another　struck　two